Results 1-20 of 1,198 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Eleanor Laing

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice: Criminal Trial Acquittals (Costs) (10 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: Perhaps the Minister is not aware of a statutory instrument that is coming before the House this afternoon. I understand that the Government are proposing a change in this area of the law to bring in what would effectively be a stealth tax on innocence. Does she appreciate that after the Government's proposals become law, someone who has been accused of a crime, has met their own costs in...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Clause 33 — Time limit for human rights actions against Northern Ireland Ministers etc (4 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I thank the hon. Gentleman for agreeing with my point. Like me, he spends many hours in Delegated Legislation Committees correcting the anomalies of the devolution legislation, and I and many of my colleagues—and many of his colleagues, and also many of the Minister's colleagues—spent weeks and months in this Chamber raising these matters when we dealt with the Scotland Act. I am...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Clause 33 — Time limit for human rights actions against Northern Ireland Ministers etc (4 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: The Minister shows great faith in his Government, but neither the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire nor I share it. The Minister is right that there is an alliance of sorts; it is an alliance of those who care about the Scottish legal system and the protection of Scots law and its principles. I have not said anything different from what I said when we discussed these matters and the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Clause 33 — Time limit for human rights actions against Northern Ireland Ministers etc (4 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: We also welcome these provisions. I welcome the provisions already in the Bill, and I was pleased to see that, albeit belatedly, the Government had tabled the new clause. I do not blame the Minister for the delay; I appreciate what he said about the complexity of the issue, and I agree that it is not surprising that it has taken some time to present measures to deal with it. I must tell the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Clause 33 — Time limit for human rights actions against Northern Ireland Ministers etc (4 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I thank the Minister for that answer, which is perfectly in order, and I appreciate that that is as far as he can go in discussing this Bill and his responsibilities. I am merely putting down a marker that there could be a further anomaly here which somebody somewhere within the Scottish or UK Governments might wish to look at before an injustice occurs as a result of it—let me put it...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Clause 33 — Time limit for human rights actions against Northern Ireland Ministers etc (4 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I am grateful for the Minister's protection, and I fully appreciate, and agree with, what he says about decisions taken by the courts as, of course, I also support the doctrine of the separation of powers. Let me explain what is of concern to me, however. I acknowledge that the Minister had nothing to do with the discussions a decade ago on the legislation that became the Scotland Act 1998...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 8 — Special Advisers code (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: It is pleasure to agree with almost everything that the hon. Member for Luton, North (Kelvin Hopkins) has just said. [Interruption.] I hope that I am not doing him any harm in doing so. It is sad that the idea of the special adviser was first invented to assist Ministers and civil servants, so that such a person could play a hybrid role between the civil servant and the political office and...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 8 — Special Advisers code (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: Before the hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth) makes his speech—and I shall give way to him in a second—may I say that I entirely agree with his amendments 22 to 25, on restricted duties?

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 8 — Special Advisers code (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I understand what the hon. Gentleman is saying. I do not think that it is necessary for the matter to be tested in the Lobby, but in principle I agree entirely with what he has to say. It is sad that the once noble role of special adviser—a person who served the civil service, Ministers, Parliament and therefore the people very well—has been so badly undermined by this Government...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: The hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) has got his priorities a bit mixed up. It is touching that he wishes to protect civil servants, but I believe that it is the duty of the House to require the accountability of civil servants. That accountability is derived through ministerial accountability to Parliament. There has to be a chain of accountability, therefore, from civil...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: Of course not; that is already protected. The Liberal Democrats should not be quite so touchy; my criticism of them does not mean that I am saying that everything that they have said is wrong. They ought to calm down. I am merely saying that the real issue is accountability. It is a pity that clause 3 does not go further in respect of the accountability of civil servants and Ministers to the...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: The hon. Gentleman has completely misrepresented what I said. He is so touchy that the slightest bit of criticism appears to send him into a temper. I do not want to take any more of the Committee's time on this matter, but he must not misrepresent what I said.

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 5 — Civil service code (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I would like to ask the Minister why it is deemed necessary to specify, in clause 5(2), that "the Minister may publish separate codes of conduct covering civil servants who serve the Scottish Executive or the Welsh Assembly Government." Given that codes of conduct are about matters of principle, why should those principles be different for civil servants who serve the Scottish Executive or...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I have a genuine question about practicality. If the amendment were agreed to, would it pass power from London to Edinburgh, or would it pass power only from one London office to another London office? That is a genuine question.

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I have a lot of sympathy for what the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) said, as I often do when we take part in the same debates. He has highlighted an important issue. However, as the Minister says, the whole Calman report has to be looked at as one entity, and it would be wrong to press a small part of its recommendations in the Bill. Having said that, I, like the...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I am puzzled as to why the hon. Gentleman is supporting the Calman commission this evening, instead of putting forward the position of the Scottish National party.

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Clause 3 — Management of the civil service (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way again, as I have a genuine question. He is right to point out that no Government Back Benchers are present to ask questions on behalf of those who are puzzled by the amendment, so in their absence I shall try to do so. I understand what the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) is saying about the Calman commission. I understand...

Onshore Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation): Schedule 1 — The Civil Service Commission (3 Nov 2009) has video

Eleanor Laing: I rise very briefly simply to support what the hon. Gentleman has just said. I agree with him.

Nato: Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill (20 Oct 2009)

Eleanor Laing: Hear, hear.

Nato: Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill (20 Oct 2009)

Eleanor Laing: But their fathers were.